Covering for doors and similar structures



July 22, 194,1 A. A. ABRAMsoN 2,249,927

COVERING FOR DOORS AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES Filed Nov. 28, 1958 INVENTOR ALVIN A msRAMsorI ATTORNFY Patented July 22, 1941 COVERING FOR DOORS AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES Alvin A. Abramson, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Central States Paper & Bag Company, St.-Louis, Mc., a corporation of Missouri Application November 28, 1938, Serial No. 242,764

7 Claims.

This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in door coverings and, more particularly, to a door covering cooperable with a screen door or similar structure for the purpose of a so-called storm door, and is related to my co-pending application, Serial No. 148,685, filed June 17, 1937.

In rural and suburban communities and in localities subject to severe Winter weather, it is a long recognized practice to apply auxiliary window and door structures to out buildings, barns, cottages, and residences for the purpose of preventin-g excessive loss of heat and, accordingly, keeping the building structures warm in severe winter weather. In this connection, it has long been recognized that the screen door or other similar structure used in the summer to keep out flying insects might well serve as a storm door if provided with some sort of suitable, preferably detachable, covering. Obviously such an expedient would furthermore make it unnecessary to remove the screen door or similar structures for storage during the winter. Accordingly, many efforts have been made to provide screen doors, window screens, and the like with auxiliary mechanisms by which they might readily be converted in Winter into storm doors and storm sash.

Such devices hitherto developed have always been either too cumbersome and expensive to justify their use or have not been sufficiently durable and weather resistant to be of any material or practical value. Stiff rigid devices as a rule are almost as cumbersome and substantially as expensive as conventional storm doors and are almost as difficult to store over the summer time when not in use. Flexible structures, such as have been previously suggested, so far as I am aware, are all inherently very sensitive to atmospheric conditions, expanding in damp Weather to become loose and sagged. On the other hand, sometimes after exposure to rain and damp weather shrinkage will take place, which may even cause the structure to rupture and become useless. Finally, although it has previously been suggested to provide such devices with transparent inserts of various kinds, no one, so far as I am aware, has ever been able to actually construct a storm door forming cover of flexible material and having a transparent insert, since the transparent insert and the material of the cover itself will pull apart 'very quickly upon exposure to atmospheric conditions in the winter time.

My invention, hence, has for its primary ob'- jects the provision of a door covering adapted for adjunctive use with a screen door or similar structure for the provision of a storm door, which is exceptionally economical in cost of construction, which is flexible and may be rolled into a compact space-saving readily stored unit, which is securely provided with a transparent Window of permanent and durable character, which `as a unit is substantially unaffected by changes in atmospheric conditions, which may be readily, quickly, and conveniently attached or detached from the screen door or other structure with which it is adjunctively used, and which is otherwise highly efficient in the performance of its stated functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing,-

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a door covering constructed in accordance with and embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of th door covering; l

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the screen door and door covering, taken approximately along the line -3-3, Figure 1 with the door in closed position; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the door covering, taken approximately along the line 4 4, Figure 1.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a cover member including an oblong rectangular flexible sheet I preferably formed of a laminated material consisting of two superposed sheets a, af, of heavy paper in which the grain preferably runs lengthwise, that is to say, parallel to the longer margins thereof. The sheets a, a, are secured together in facewise overlying marginal registration by an intermediate thin layer b of asphaltic adhesive in which is preferably embedded a series of indiscriminately criss-cross long strands c of sisal, hemp, or jute ber, fall for purposes presently more fully appearing and as best seen in Figure 4.

Preferably adjacent one of its ends, the sheet I is provided with a rectangular aperture 2 marginally continuously bounded by an adhesive attachment strip 3, including an inner woven cotton fabric core 4 impregnated and entirely surrounded by a layer or coating 5 of adhesive material containing unvulcanizedrubber, nondrying oils, and inert pigments, all as best seen in Figure 4 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Provided for window-forming disposition over the aperture 2, is a rectangular transparent panel 6 of flexible sheet material preferably having substantially the same characteristics of flexibility and expansibility as the sheet I and being slightly smaller in peripheral size than the outer peripheral dimensions of the aperture bounding tape strip 3. The transparent panel 6 is placed in substantial overlying registration with the tape strip 3 and is pressed firmly downwardly thereupon, care being observed to prevent the formation of any air bubbles or air pockets between the adhesively joined surfaces. Preferably the panel 6 is forced downwardly into overlying adhesive engagement with the tape strip 3 under sufficient pressure to cause the adhesive layer 5 of the tape strip 3 to flow slightly upwardly around the edge of the transparent panel 6 in the formation of a retentive overlap 'I, all for purposes presently more fully appearing andas best "seen in Figure 4.

The screen door cover, upon completion, may readily be rolled into a compact tubular form for shipment and Storage. Inuse, the door cover is unrolled `and preferably aligned along its upper margin with the upper margin of the screen door B and 'is secured in such position preferably by a row of tacks 8. The cover is rolled down along the outer face of the screen door and secured along its opposed vertical margins by additional tacks 8 and is then marginally trimmed, if necessary, in width andY length, depending upon the size of the door B, all as best seen in Figure 1.

By reason of `the fact that the sheet I is of laminated structure, it is substantially unaffected by humidity changes and, therefore, will not tend to sag, buckle, warp, shrink, or rupture as a result of exposure to rain and damp, weather. Furthermore, it will not absorb moisture in damp weather and, therefore, will not be particularly damaged in the event of a sudden drop in temperature which might produce freezing of absorbed moisture. Furthermore, since the transparent panel 6 and the sheet I have substantially the same physical characteristics of flexibility and exp'ansibility, there is no appreciable tendency, to pull apart due to temperature changes. Finally, any differential expansion and contraction `which may take place between the panel 6 and the sheet I due to temperature changes be readily absorbed and cushioned by the attachment strip 3.

Sincethe grain of the papersheets a, a', runs lengthwise thereof, the door cover A will roll up more readily without tending to crack, buckle, or foldfand will unroll more smoothly. In addition, the so-constructed door cover A will be more self-supporting and taut in its interior Ywhen applied adjunctively to a screen door.

Thus, vby my present invention, I have provided a simple, economical, and low-cost door covering adapted for adjunctive use with screen doors and similar structures in a highly eiiicient and convenient manner. The door covering of my present invention is not only materially very inexpensive, but is extremely durable and may be readily attached and detached in the course of seasonal Ychanges over a substantialiperiod of years, giving llong satisfactoryservice and, at the'same time, is capable of being rolled into a compact bundle which may be easily stored in a relatively small amount of space.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the door covering may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. A cover member adapted for adjunctive use with a door structure in the provision of a storm door comprising a iiexible sheet of laminated material having a window opening therein, and a transparent panel mounted on a face of the sheet in overlying registration with the window opening by means of a non-drying and inherently yieldable adhesive material.

2. A cover member adapted for adjunctive use with a door structure in the provision of a storm door comprising a flexible sheet of laminated material having a Window opening therein, and a transparent panel mounted on a face of the sheet in overlying registration with the window opening by means of a non-drying adhesive material including unvulcanized` rubber.

3. A cover member adapted for adjunctive use with a door structure in the provision of a storm door comprising a exible sheet of laminated material having a window opening therein, a transparent panelv on a face of the sheet in marginally overlying registration with the window opening, and a tape strip including an inner fabric core interposed between the overlying portions and having on opposite contacting faces thereof a non-drying and inherently yieldable adhesive material.`

4. In a cover member adapted for adjunctive use with a door structure in the provision of a storm door including a flexible sheet of laminated material having a window opening therein; a window-formingl panel marginally secured to a face of the sheet in marginally overlying registration with the window opening, and a tape strip including an inner fabric core interposed between the overlying portions and having on opposite contacting faces thereof a non-drying adhesive compound containing unvulcanized rubber.

5. In a cover member adapted for adjunctive use with a door structure in the provision of a storm door including a exible sheet of 1aminated material having a window opening therein; a window-forming panel marginally secured to aface of the sheet in marginally overlying registration with the window opening, and a tape strip including an inner fabric core interposed between the overlying portions and having on opposite contacting faces thereof a non-drying adhesive compound containing unvulcanized rubber and a non-drying oil. Y

6. A cover member adapted for adjunctive use with a door structure in the provision of a storm door comprising a exible sheet of laminated material having a window opening therein, a resiliently yieldableadhesive material marginally bounding said window opening, and a transparent panel secured to said sheet in overlying registration with the window opening by and having its edge embedded in and sealed by the adhesive material, Y

7. A cover member adapted for adjunctive use with a door structure in the provision of a storm door comprising a iiexible sheet of weather proof Window opening, said resilient strip and transmaterial having a 'window opening therein, a strip of permanently resilient adhesive material marginally bounding said opening, and a transparent panel marginally secured upon the outwardly presented face of said adhesive strip and extending in window-forming position across said parent panel being pressed together in the provision of a owed and edge-engaging retentive overlap of adhesive material along the marginal 5 edge of the transparent panel.

ALVIN A. ABRAMSON. 

